KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Here is a question for you: “When was the first Malaysian Cabinet under Tunku Abdul Rahman formed?”
Or wait... we will be celebrating the 67th anniversary of Malaysia’s independence from British rule on August 31, 2024 but did you know the announcement of the date for the independence of the Federation of Malaya was made by Tunku at Padang Banda Hilir, Melaka on February 20, 1956?
This time of the year when we celebrate our National Day is really the perfect time to visit the Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial if you have never been.
Located along Jalan Dato Onn, the memorial is made up of the original Residence Building (where Tunku lived from 1956 to 1970); and flanked by two building wings (exhibit halls and administration).
Just Merdeka things
You can actually visit Tunku’s Old Office Building or the first Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), meticulously preserved in its entirety as when it was first built on Brockman Road (now Jalan Dato Onn) in 1956.
Made entirely of wood, the Old Office Building still retains its original form and furniture layout, unchanged despite its reconstruction at the present memorial site in 1994.
In the same exhibition hall, another priceless artifact on display is the original wooden table used by the first Malaysian Cabinet for its meeting — alongside several other displayed artifacts from Tunku’s private and public life.
National Archives (Statesman Archives Division) director Hanizah Jonoh said the Residence Building has had a long history, going far back to the early days of British colonialism.
Under British rule, it was the official home of the British Residency in Selangor.
“In 1880, it was relocated from Klang to its present site (at the memorial) where the Residency was occupied by subsequent British Residents until the outbreak of World War Two.”
Similar to the Old Office, the Residence building also retains its historical charm with its unchanged layout and furniture that include those Tunku handpicked himself.
“When we achieved independence, Tunku took the initiative to use the building as his residence and even saw to its preservation.
“As a matter of fact, the Cairo Room in the residence is aptly named because that was where Tunku stopped to purchase the room’s furniture after signing the Treaty of London in February 1956,” she told Malay Mail in an interview recently.
The Treaty of London, which paved the way for the setting-up of an independent Federation of Malaya, was signed between Tunku and Alan Lennox-Boyd, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of States for the Colonies at the time.
Hanizah added the memorial adopted a similar concept as to those of the presidential libraries in the United States where the official residence and related artifacts of the statesman such as clothes, photographs and even their papers are preserved.
Apart from the Residence and the Old Office buildings, Hanizah said there were two classic vehicles — a 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood and a Nash Rambler Custom Convertible 1951 — parked on display at the entrance to the memorial that held significant historical value as well.
“One of them was Tunku’s official car (Cadillac) and the other is the Merdeka car used to fetch Tunku from the Batu Berendam airport to Banda Hilir for the Merdeka Team reception ceremony upon their return from London in 1956,” she said.
But that is not all, you can also see the two desks that “witnessed” the birth of an independent Malaya and Malaysia under Tunku’s reign.
“We have on display the Merdeka Table where Tunku placed the letter of authority that bore the Federation of Malaya as a sovereign and independent country.
“And the Proclamation of Malaysia Table where he declared the merger of the Federation of Malaya with the State of Singapore and the British crown colonies of North Borneo and Sarawak into the new Federation of Malaysia,” she explained.
Hanizah expressed hope that people, especially the younger generation, will take some time to come see for themselves the historical contribution and sacrifice of Malaysia’s ‘Father of Independence’.
“The National Archives has always committed themselves to getting people to know our statesman despite our limited capacity and all the displayed materials are based on specific themes to help visitors understand Tunku personally,” she said.
Last but not least, if you are still reading up to this point, the answer to the first question is September 10, 1957.
